Method for using a short address in a packet header

Abstract

A method and device for changing between a long address and a short address in a packet is provided. According to one embodiment, a method of converting a long address to a short address by an processing element in a communication network, comprises receiving a packet having a first long address, retrieving a first short address associated with the first long address from a data repository, replacing the first long address in the standard packet with the first short address forming an improved packet with a control field and sending the improved packet toward a subsequent device.

1 . A method of converting a long address to a short address by a processing element in a communication network, comprising: 
 receiving a standard packet having a first long address;    retrieving a first short address associated with the first long address from a data repository; and    replacing the first long address in the standard packet with the first short address forming an improved packet with a control field.    
   
   
       2 . The method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the standard packet has a second long address, the method further comprising: 
 associating the second long address with a second short address, and    storing the association in the data repository.    
   
   
       3 . The method as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein the first and second long addresses are the same field in the packet.  
   
   
       4 . The method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein if an association does not exist for the first long address: 
 skipping the retrieving and replacing,    copying the first long address to the standard packet, and    replacing the first long address in the standard packet with a value to form an improved packet.    
   
   
       5 . The method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein short address is an address using a number of bits that is less than the number of bits in the long address.  
   
   
       6 . The method as claimed in  claim 5 , wherein the association in the data repository between the short address and long address is aged.  
   
   
       7 . The method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the long address is a Media Access Controller (MAC) address.  
   
   
       8 . A method of converting a short address to a long address by a processing element in a communication network, comprising: 
 receiving a packet having a short address;    retrieving from a data repository a first long address associated with the short address from a data repository; and    replacing the short address in the improved packet with the long address forming a standard packet.    
   
   
       9 . The method as claimed in  claim 8 , wherein if the short address contains a value 
 skipping the retrieving, and    wherein the long address is a second long address from improved packet    
   
   
       10 . The method as claimed in  claim 8 , wherein the data repository is capable of storing a maximum number of short addresses and wherein the maximum number of short addresses is less than a maximum number of long addresses.  
   
   
       11 . The method as claimed in  claim 9 , wherein the maximum number of short address is based on a power of 2.  
   
   
       12 . The method as claimed in  claim 11 , wherein the association in the data repository between the short address and long address is aged.  
   
   
       13 . The method as claimed in  claim 8 , wherein the long address is a Media Access Controller (MAC) address.  
   
   
       14 . A modified Ethernet switch that converts between a Media Access Control (MAC) address and short address, comprising: 
 a first processing element having access to a first data repository and receives a first standard packet having an Ethernet header, the Ethernet header having a first MAC destination address and a MAC source address, the first processor converting the first MAC destination address to a first short address, the first processor replacing the first MAC destination address in the standard packet with the first short address forming an improved packet; and    a second processing element having a second data repository and receives the improved packet, the second processor converting the short destination address to the first MAC destination address; the second processor replacing the short destination address in the improved packet with the first MAC destination address forming a second standard packet,    wherein the first short address uses less bits that the first MAC address.    
   
   
       15 . The modified Ethernet switch as claimed in  claim 14 , wherein the converting the first MAC destination address to a first short address, comprising: 
 retrieving from the first source an address associated with the first MAC destination address, the first short address is the associated address or    copying the first MAC destination address to a second MAC destination address in the improved packet, the first short address is a value.    
   
   
       16 . The modified Ethernet switch as claimed in  claim 15 , wherein the converting the short destination address to a MAC destination address, comprising: 
 retrieving from the second source an address associated with the short destination address, the short destination address is the associated address or    retrieving from the improved packet the second MAC address, the short destination address is the second MAC    
   
   
       17 . The modified Ethernet switch as claimed in  claim 14 , wherein the first and second sources are the same.  
   
   
       18 . The modified Ethernet switch as claimed in  claim 14 , further comprising sending the second standard packet toward a traffic destination.  
   
   
       19 . The modified Ethernet switch as claimed in  claim 14 , further comprising the first processing element storing an association between the MAC source address and a second short address in the first data repository.  
   
   
       20 . The modified Ethernet switch as claimed in  claim 14 , wherein the association is aged.  
   
   
       21 . The modified Ethernet switch as claimed in  claim 14 , wherein access to the first data repository or the second data repository is via a central entity, the central entity synchronizes the first and second data repository.  
   
   
       22 . The modified Ethernet switch as claimed in  claim 14 , wherein the first processing element converts the MAC destination address to a first short address via the first data repository.  
   
   
       23 . The modified Ethernet switch as claimed in  claim 14 , wherein the second processing element converts the short destination address to a MAC via the second data repository.